A vuhuela and sombrero wait on the floor in the dressing room while Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston prepare for their performance in the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012.

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston says a prayer led by Carlos Torres, center (holding hands with Edgar Menendez, left, and Oscar Montes, right) as they prepare for their performance in the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012.

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

Justine Williams, left, gets help tuning her violin from Elizabeth Guzman as Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston prepares for the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012.

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

Justine Williams, left, gets help tuning her violin from Elizabeth Guzman as Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston prepares for the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY)

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

From left, Oscar Montes, Elizabeth Guzman, Nicholas Hernandez, and Israel Salgado rehearse as Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston prepares for the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012.

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

Justine Williams, left, and Elizabeth Guzman get rear in the dressing room as Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston prepares for the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012.

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

Zapata High School's Mariachi Halcon takes the stage to perform in the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012.

Photo By JENNIFER WHITNEY

Violinist Oscar Montes, 15, performs with Mariachi Pantera from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston as they compete in the Group Competition during the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre, Friday, November 30, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY)

First-place winners of last week's elementary and middle school mariachi competitions illustrated the joyous and hopeful spirit of the 18th annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza at Lila Cockrell Theatre on Saturday.

A sold-out house of 2,400 witnessed it. The exuberant student performances were the warm-up at the grand finale concert with Mexico's legendary Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, a group celebrating its 115th anniversary.

The fresh-faced teen and preteen Mariachi Juvenil de America from Rio Grande City opened the show with an original composition, “Mi Mexico.”

Eloy Garza is the group's musical director. For six years, he's guided the musical studies of such young student musicians.

“They have lots of pride, lots of pride for their culture,” said Garza, 30.

They also have extraordinary talents. Many of the musicians are orchestra-level, especially the high school and college players, according to their instructors.

Alex Rodriguez directs the Rio Grande City High School mariachi winners, Mariachi Cascabel.

“Mariachi is a family,” Rodriguez said backstage as youngster fingered their instruments, exchanging flourishes on nylon string instruments, plucking violins or firing off a few notes on their trumpets.

“They dream, they aspire to become professional mariachis,” Rodriguez explained. And they don't get nervous. “They got rid of that in seventh grade,” Rodriguez added.

Backstage before the show began, producer Cynthia Muñoz checked her cellphone for status updates about traffic congestion on Market Street. She started the show about 15 minutes later than planned in case any of her hardcore audience was stuck in the heavy holiday traffic downtown.

Actor-comedian Steven Michael Quezada hosted the show, adding some edge. Quezada is one of the stars of the acclaimed AMC series “Breaking Bad.”

“I play a cop. I can't go to no more parties in the barrio,” joked Quezada, continuing the theme with his next riff.

“When you watch ‘COPS,' doesn't it make you want to clean up your house? Just in case?”

It was just the right contrast to the lush, often angelic, quality of Mariachi Vargas.